This tutorial will teach you how to cook butternut squash in a variety of ways. Learn how to roast butternut squash, including tips for how to peel butternut squash (it’s easier than you think!). Save money by preparing this hard winter squash yourself. I’ll show you how to make a tender whole roasted butternut squash, as well as how to roast cubed squash. Likewise, I’ll teach you how to toast butternut squash seeds for a crunchy, salty snack. I have also provided a how-to video and links to some of the best butternut squash recipes below. Tough-skinned butternut squash might seem daunting at first, so I have added some tips for those with limited arm strength. Trust me, learning how to cook butternut squash is easier than you think!
What is butternut squash?
Butternut squash is one of my favorite winter squash varieties. It belongs to a species known as C. moschata., a group of squash that also includes the Winter Crookneck, the Cushawsome, and some varieties of pumpkin. Butternut squash, like all squash, has ancestry in North America. Archaeological evidence suggests that squash may have first been cultivated on the isthmus between North America and South America (known as Mesoamerica) around 10,000 years ago.
Squash was one of the three main crops planted by Native Americans, known as the “Three Sisters”– maize (corn), beans, and squash. Native Americans and early American settlers prized butternut squash for its long shelf life. The most popular and widely available butternut squash is the Waltham Butternut, which was originally cultivated in Massachusetts.
In fall and throughout the cold weather months, winter squash varieties like butternut squash line the produce shelves. Winter squashes are different from summer squashes (like zucchini and yellow crookneck)—the skin is hard and inedible, while the inside is firm and flavorful. Winter squashes mature on the vine. Because of their tough outer shell, they keep well for long periods of time. Consequently, storing them in winter is easy. There are some squashes that qualify as both summer and winter squashes. When harvested early, they are summer squash, but if left to mature on the vine, they develop a hard outer shell and become winter squash.
How do you prepare butternut squash?
Butternut squash can be prepared in a variety of ways – by steaming, boiling, baking, or roasting. The most delicious results come from roasting. I have outlined several different ways to bake or roast a butternut squash in this post, including roasting a whole squash, as well as cooking cubed squash pieces. From choosing to peeling to slicing to seeding to roasting, by the end of this tutorial you’ll be a butternut squash pro.
Is butternut squash healthy?
Butternut squash is very healthy and nutritious. The flesh is full of vitamins A and C, and it has a naturally sweet flavor that really emerges when roasted. Additionally, the seeds contain protein and heart-healthy fats. It’s a delicious seasonal squash. And when you learn how to roast butternut squash, you’ll be hooked! It’s so easy, tasty, and versatile. You can use butternut squash in soups or stews, as well as other hearty winter dishes. The first step is learning how to prepare it. And the second step is learning some great butternut squash recipes. I’ve got you covered on both fronts!
Can you eat butternut squash seeds?
Short answer – yes! I’ve shared instructions for how to roast butternut squash seeds in this recipe. They’re smaller and more tender than pumpkin seeds, and are every bit as delicious when roasted (in fact, I like them even better!).
When I learned to roast pumpkin seeds, I discovered an awesome tip from Elise Bauer at Simply Recipes—boil the seeds for ten minutes in salted water before roasting. This extra step really helps the shells toast up crisp, and it also makes the seeds more digestible. I’ve used this tip when toasting butternut squash seeds, and it works the same way. Thanks Elise!
Check out more butternut squash FAQ’s here, or scroll down to the cooking tutorial below. Happy butternut squashing!
Butternut Squash FAQ’s
It depends on how you want to cook it, and what texture you want to achieve. Butternut squash skin is edible, but its texture can be tough or papery after cooking. For most recipes, peeling the butternut squash is preferred – that is why I have shared how to peel a butternut squash in this post. For butternut squash soups and stews, it is generally best to remove the skin. If you want to keep the skin on your roasted butternut squash, you may do so – just know that the texture may be less than desirable.
Preparing a hard-shelled butternut squash can seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. All you need is a serrated peeler or paring knife, and a chef’s knife for slicing. Doing this prep work yourself will save you a lot of money compared to buying the pre-peeled and diced variety. Buying a whole squash will give you a very significant savings—the pre-cubed costs over four times more. Peeling and dicing a whole squash should only take around 10 to 15 minutes. And the effort is so worth it! Peeled butternut squash is a key part of recipes like my Jeweled Black Rice Salad or my Butternut Squash and Crispy Kale Bake.
Peeling butternut squash is easier than you think! While these hard-skinned winter squash may seem difficult to peel, there is a trick to it. In this post I show you how to remove the skin with a peeler or paring knife. I’ll also show you a quick tip for peeling it more easily – with just 2 minutes in the microwave, you’ll become a butternut squash peeling pro!
Mature butternut squash comes in sizes ranging from 1 to 5 lbs. The average butternut squash will be around 2 to 3 lbs. After peeling and seeding, your squash will lose 2-3 oz of weight. For example, a 3 lb squash will yield about 2 lbs 13 oz of flesh. This is helpful to know for recipes that call for a certain amount of diced, peeled squash—if your recipe calls for 2 lbs of diced squash, you’ll want to look for a squash that is around 2 lbs, 3 oz in weight.
Recommended Products:
How to Cook Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 1 whole butternut squash (any size squash will work; 2 pounds of squash equals 6 servings)
You will also need
- A sturdy chef’s knife, cutting board, rubber mallet (optional, if needed), baking sheet
You may also need
- Extra virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper, minced garlic, seasonings of your choice
NOTES
Instructions
How to Choose Butternut Squash
- Butternut squash is seasonal. In the U.S., the best time to buy ripe local squash is September through October. It may be available at other times throughout the year as an import. Look for butternut squash with a solid beige color, without any deep cuts or bruises. A little surface scratching is normal. Choose squash that feels heavy for its size. Avoid squash with brown patches or punctures, which can introduce bacteria and mold. Butternut squash will keep in a cool, dark part of your kitchen for several weeks– it does not need to be refrigerated.
How to Peel and Seed Butternut Squash
- Slice off the stem and bottom ends of the squash, so that both ends are flat.
- Slice the squash in half, just where the thinner end begins to widen around the middle.
- Turn each half so that a flat end rests against the cutting board. Use a sharp serrated peeler or paring knife to peel off the skin in downward strokes.
- You will notice light green lines emerging beneath the skin as you peel. You want to make sure to peel all of those green lines away from the squash—they can be tough and fibrous. The squash isn’t completely peeled till all of those green lines have disappeared and the orange flesh remains.
- Once both halves of the squash are peeled, slice the fatter half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a metal spoon. Reserve those seeds… they are absolutely delicious when roasted! (instructions below)
- Now you have three sections of peeled squash, which you can slice or dice depending on your preference.
- I usually dice the squash into 1-inch cubes, which helps it to cook faster and more evenly.
How to Make Whole Roasted Butternut Squash
- There are two ways to roast butternut squash—skin on, and skin off. It’s easiest to roast a whole butternut squash skin on, that way you don’t need to deal with peeling. This method words best if you are planning to make a butternut squash puree like this Maple Butternut Squash Puree, or if you simply want to scoop out the cooked flesh and you’re not worried about the presentation. To roast skin on, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice off the stem and bottom ends of the squash so that both ends are flat.
- Set the squash on a cutting board with the widest cut end flat against the board. Use a heavy chef’s knife to cut the squash from top to bottom, slicing it in half vertically. This may be difficult depending on how strong or sharp your knife is, or how big and thick your squash is. Take your time. If you encounter some resistance, you can tap downward on either end of your knife blade with a rubber mallet to slowly move it along. If you've pre-microwaved your squash, the slicing should be easier.Once you’ve sliced the squash in half, scoop out the seeds with a metal spoon. Reserve them for roasting, if desired.
- Brush the cut surfaces of the squash with olive oil.
- Place the squash halves cut side down onto a baking sheet.
- Roast the squash for about 1 hour, turning the sheet once halfway through cooking. Start checking for doneness around 45 minutes—smaller squash will cook faster. It will take a full hour or longer to cook a 3 pound squash.The squash is done when the flesh is tender all the way through to the skin. The outer beige skin will be slightly blistered and browned. The inner flesh will be dark orange, soft, and caramelized around the edges.
How to Roast Butternut Squash, Peeled
- The easiest way to roast squash that has already been peeled is to dice it into 1-inch squash cubes. The smaller size will help the squash to roast more evenly.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place the cubes into a large mixing bowl and toss with 1-2 tbsp olive oil (I use about 2 tbsp for a 3 lb. squash). You can also toss it with minced garlic, if you’d like.Spread the squash out evenly across 1 or 2 baking sheets. I like to line the tray with a silpat for easy cleanup. Sprinkle the squash with salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you like. For more delicious ideas, check out my caramelized Maple Roasted Butternut Squash recipe.
- Roast the squash for 30-40 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking, until the largest pieces of squash are fork tender.
How to Roast Butternut Squash Seeds
- A 3 lb squash will produce about 1/3 cup of cleaned seeds. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place seeds and pulp into a mixing bowl. Cover the seeds with water. Use your fingers to separate seeds from the fibrous butternut squash threads. It is easiest to do this underwater.Drain the seeds in a colander. Pick through the seeds and discard the loose orange squash threads.
- Bring 1 quart of water and 1 tsp of salt to a boil. Add the seeds (up to 2 cups of seeds per quart of water) and boil for 10 minutes.
- Drain the seeds in a colander and pat dry with a paper towel or towel. A few seeds will stick to the towel as you dry, just use your fingers to brush them back into the colander. Pour the seeds into a mixing bowl and toss them with a little olive oil or melted butter. I use about 1 tsp of olive oil or 2 tsp of melted butter per 1 cup of seeds.
- Spread the seeds out in a single layer onto a baking sheet. Season with salt and any other seasonings or spices you like. Smoked paprika, cinnamon-sugar, nutmeg, chili powder, or cayenne (spicy!) will all work well. I prefer my seeds simple, with a generous sprinkling of salt.
- Toast the seeds in the oven for about 20 minutes, watching carefully to make sure they don’t burn. They won’t change color much (if they turn too brown they’ll be over-done), so the best way to check for doneness is to taste them. I’ve found that once I hear a few seeds “pop” like popcorn in the oven, that’s the perfect time to take them out. Don’t let them stay in much longer after that first “pop,” or you risk burning them.
- The seeds end up crispy and delicious, with a flavor similar to fresh popcorn. Delish!
Mandi says
Hi. Thanks for the article… I just came across this whilst munching my toasted Butternut Squash seeds! I say toasted rather than roasted as I just threw them into a dry non-stick pan and let them toast on their own over a medium heat. Was good to read about the ‘popping’.. mine did that.. I just shook the pan a bit until the next one did it.
I peeled and boiled the top half of the squash to make it into soup but I left the bottom half whole, stuffed it with sage and onion stuffing, topped with cheese and roasted it. It was delicious… and I ate the skin with it.. so I’m happy to read that it’s ok to do that! *phew*
Sue says
Can someone tell me why there were no seeds in our butternut which was grown from seeds of a previous home grown butternut? It had a soft green and yellow shape about an inch long where the seeds would normally be.
ak says
Thanks for very thorough instructions. I find that the butternut skin is much softer than other winter pumpkins, and when roasting I usually leave them unpeeled and eat them skin and all. Do you know if the skin might contain something harmful (ev pesticides apart)?
marge says
How do you freeze cut up butternut
Tori Avey says
Hi Marge- to freeze raw chunks, place the pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze the baking sheet. When the squash pieces are frozen transfer them to a freezer bag or container, loosely packed to allow for expansion. Cooked butternut chunks do not freeze well, as they get mushy, however you can puree the cooked chunks and freeze the puree. Hope that helps!
CW says
Thanks for the helpful tutorial. Great on the seeds- can you also do acorn squash seeds as well [do you know]? I am going to go out on a limb with the squash and slice it with a mandoline. Going to use it as a layer in a ‘vegetable lasagna I am making up in my head. I hope it turns out well.
Tori Avey says
Hi CW, yes you can roast acorn squash seeds using the same method as outlined above.
Susan Hawthorne says
Do you eat the shells of the roasted seed?
Tori Avey says
Hi Susan– yes, I do– they’re not like pumpkin or sesame seeds, in that they’re not very easy to peel. They taste great whole in shell!
Alice Birney says
Thank you for the clear instructions in your tutorial on peeling butternut squash. I have enjoyed a delicious butternut squash soup, for which I received the recipe. Now I am ready to prepare it with your help regarding peeling.
Roasting the seeds sounds good, too. I think I’ll give it a try.
paul molz says
Thank you I needed a little help on cooking butter nut squash and would like to grow dome in my garden next year. Thank you PM
Rosie says
Great tutorial!! I appreciate that you were so thorough in listing how to cook peeled, unpeeled, and the seeds. Just what I needed 🙂
Vonnie says
Enjoyed the info.
Caroline says
I had hoped to get through life without having to peel, seed, and chop a butternut squash, but alas, Trader Joe’s was out of their pre-chopped bags today. Thank you so much for your excellent instructions and photos! But here’s another question, my hand that held all the squash pieces is now covered in a dry film that won’t wash off, even after scrubbing with a sponge, using hand soap, dishwashing soap, even tried some olive oil. What’s going on?
Tori Avey says
Hi Caroline– from time to time when prepping butternut squash (and other types of squash as well) you’ll encounter an internal “sap” that creates a film on your skin. It’s not harmful, but it is a bit of a nuisance. Some people have more of a reaction to it than others, hopefully it is not irritating your skin. It will eventually wear off. To speed the process, some people recommend rubbing with lemon juice then scrubbing with your fingernails under warm water. Others recommend putting coconut oil on your hands at night before you go to sleep, it seems to soften the film overnight which makes it easier to scrub off the next morning. I’ve personally never had this issue but I have read a bit about it. Hope this helps!
Jessica says
Thank-you so much for all of this cooking information on butternut squash! I followed your baking recipe and also baked the seeds – everything was incredible!!! Thanks again 🙂
Tori Avey says
Great Jessica! Happy to hear that.
barbara kaminsky says
I have the squash but do not want to use it until several days later. Can I prepare it for cooking (I am using cubes) and store it in my fridge, and if so, for how long? I do not want to freeze it.
Tori Avey says
Hi Barbara, you should be able to refrigerate your squash cubes in an airtight container for 2-3 days without any problem. Don’t add anything to the cubes ahead of time (when you say “prepare” I’m not sure how much preparation you’re talking about). You can peel and slice the, but any additional preparation should be done just before you cook them.
Justine says
Am I the only one who eats the skin (all that good fiber!) I discovered along with my mom, that when you boil the squash with skin on, once cooked, the skin is soft and edible! So instead of roasting the squash first before putting in a soup, I just cube the squash skin on, boil it in the soup, and voila. No skinning needed. Way easier and nutritious too…
Tori Avey says
Hi Justine, this is true for many soups and stews that cook long enough to soften the skin. It won’t work, however, for roasting and applications where the squash is more quickly cooked.
Regina Frankeny says
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I could never have peeled my butternut squash without your help. I started by cutting the stem off and had so much trouble with it that I just KNEW there had to be a better way. A simple google search brought me to your site and lo and behold! — the better way. Since I don’t really have the proper equipment or very much hand strength, the microwave tip was a Godsend. The details and pictures you give are also extremely helpful. Most sites don’t do this, so please keep it up. I will definitely invest in some good kitchen equipment for my future forays into fall squash deliciousness. Thanks again!
Nancee says
I just got finished with cutting up a butternut squash and decided to try something different not having much hand strength used an electric knife to cut it with had to put pressure with my hand on the blades be careful.
Leona Pitej says
Thank you for this instructional. I have had many near misses in the kitchen trying to get at butternut squash. On a good day, it would normally take me an hour to peel and prepare. Your simple, sane instructions will help lessen that time dramatically.
Gail says
Just prepared the seeds and squash as you had showed in the tutorial. It was very easy. I found that even my sharp knife needed to be sharpened before, and again during to get the great results. As knives get older, they need to be sharpened. Some sharpeners are better than others, so if the result is not a sharp knife after using a sharpening tool. Reap the steps to sharpen it over and over until it is sharp. There used to be places to have your knives sharpened. Are there still?
Tori Avey says
Hi Gail– yes! There are still knife sharpeners. Google your local area to see if anything comes up. Sur La Table (if you have one nearby) sometimes offers free knife sharpening, call their knife department to see if they have anything scheduled. I agree it’s very important to have a sharp knife for this kind of thing!
Gail says
Can I freeze Butternut squash in cubes uncooked to roast later preferred way to eat or is it necessary to cook & mash
Tori Avey says
Hi Gail, in my experience vegetables that have been frozen do not roast very well. They tend to turn mushy and do not roast nicely with golden brown edges, etc. Feel free to freeze the squash, but it may not roast as nicely as you would like it to after defrosting– steaming or boiling might be preferable. Good luck!
marya says
Thanks for the great post!
I still had a hard time peeling the squash. I was using a regular peeler, and had to push so hard on the squash that I kept hitting my hand on the cutting board and it hurt. 🙁 I tried hanging the squash over the edge of the sink about an inch – and that worked like a champ!
Marlene says
no seeds in my butternut squash why is that I always have had seeds in most of the squash that I’ve cooked
Tori Avey says
Hi Marlene, this can happen in rare cases. I don’t think there is anything wrong with the squash, it’s just a fluke of nature.